Frida Kahlo 1907-1954 "Feet what do I need you for when I have wings to fly".

Frida Kahlo is one of Mexico's most famous artists and also something of a feminist icon, celebrated for her passionate indomitability in the face of life's trials. She's best known for her daring self-portraits depicting the suffering she experienced in her personal life.

Malala Yousafzai 1997-"I raise up my voice - not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… we cannot succeed when half of us are held back".

At age 11, Malala Yousafzai began her struggle for the right of girls to attend school in Pakistan. By starting a blog at BBC, she informed the world how girls were forbidden to attend school by the Taliban and how the religious extremists controlled with an iron fist and oppressed women. After defying threats of the Taliban, she was shot in the head on her way home from school in 2012. She survived, and instead of silencing her, Malala received a lot of attention worldwide. Malala Yousafzai has become a global defender of women's rights and has finally managed to get Pakistan's politicians to ensure free and compulsory education for all.

Simone de Beauvoir 1908 - 1986"One is not born, but rather becomes a woman".

When Simone de Beauvoir published her book "The Second Sex" in France in 1949, it hit like a bomb, and was greeted by cheers as well as furious protests. In her groundbreaking work Simone writes about women's roles, women's oppression, and what it means to be a woman. Simone de Beauvoir angered and provoked. She was laughed at, mocked, and the book was placed on the Vatican's list of banned books. Simone's ideas have however had a huge impact and started a whole new wave of feminist thinking. The book is usually called the bible of feminism and is still regarded as a major work of women´s liberation and gender equality.

Xinran Xue 1958 -"I discovered that women had no idea how to talk about themselves".

The writer Xinran Xue shocked China when she broke taboos and became the voice of millions of oppressed women. She has been conducting a long and hazardous struggle for women's rights, which eventually forced her to leave China. In the book "The good women of China" Xinran has collected stories of women who talk about forced marriages, child abuse, rape, footbindning and oppression. Today Xinran Xue lives in London.

Amelia Earhart was an American pilot and the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in 1928. At a time when female pilots were regarded as less competent than their male colleagues, and sometimes not even considered as "real" women, Amelia set several aviation records, received awards and made series of dangerous long distance flights. She was ahead of her time in many ways and fought for women's rights, especially the right of women to learn to fly. She defied conventions, and encouraged women to have the courage to find their passion in life, setting goals and reaching them.

Agnes Pareyio 1956 - "They cut me very severely. As I was lying there, I resolved I wouldn´t let this happen to more girls".

Agnes Pareyio is a Maasai woman from Kenya. When she was fourteen years old, she was a victim of the traditional and horrendous female genital mutilation. Forty years later, she is an outspoken leader in Kenya on women's rights, and runs a rescue center for girls fleeing mutilation and forced marriage.

Despite death threats and a constant struggle for resources, Agnes continues her fight against female genital mutilation. It is estimated that more than two million girls are cut worldwide, every year.

Wall of Femme

Wall of Femme is a series of portraits of brave and inspiring women who challenged conventions, dared to be different and paved the way for others.

Wall of Femme was exhibited at Nordiskt Forum in Malmö/Sweden, June 12 - June 15 2014. The forum had 20 000 visitors from more than 50 countries, gathered to discuss gender equality, bring forward the debate on women’s rights and formulate new strategies to promote human rights.